COM 398

InternshipGuidelines

2018 Winter Semester Version

Internship Director: Dr Tony McGillE-Mail: amcgill@umflint.edu

Phone: 810 766-6679

Communication Internships provide students with the opportunity to work in career-related fields for academic credit. Internships also provide organizations with an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the quality of our graduates, thereby improving the quality of future employees in our global community. Inherent in this process are responsibilities for both the student and the organization. Although most internships are "entry level" experiences, student must possess some knowledge and skills prior to undertaking an internship. Students must be able to document maturity, reliability, and the appropriate skills for the work environment. The primary evidence for these traits are a history of academic success (over a 2.0 GPA), the completion of significant coursework (junior or senior class standing), and an interview with the Internship Director. Organizational responsibilities include providing students with a safe learning environment, a dedicated Internship Supervisor, an experience that fosters the goals of this program, and periodic review of the student's performance.

This packet will provide both the student and the organization with the necessary forms and information to successfully complete the internship experience. The first section is for the students (pages 1-10, and page 16) and the second section (pages 11-15) is for your organization's Internship Supervisor. An important distinction needs to be made...the terms "Internship Director" or simply "Director" refer to me (Dr McGill) as the director of all the COM internships and the terms "Internship Supervisor" or simply “Supervisor" refers to the on-site person who supervises your internship for an organization.

Students are required to check their Student Email Account weekly for any formal communication from the Director. Past experience suggests that personal email accounts change too often to be a reliable form of notification, and faculty are not allowed to use them to communicate with students. If you have not set up a student email account, please do so before you begin the internship process. You can easily forward mail from your student account to any personal account you wish.

STUDENT SECTIONInformation about Communication1. In consultation with the Internship Director, students should determine the appropriateness and timing of their Internship(s). Students should schedule this meeting through Gale Glover, Administrative Assistant, Communication Studies (810-766-6679).

2. Over half of all interns find their own internships. While the Director will make every effort to help provide potential leads for Internship opportunities, students are ultimately responsible for identifying and securing their Internship. Moreover, and while the Director may provide Internship leads, the organization ultimately decides (through the interview process) whether the student is qualified. Prior to engaging in the Internship, and after approval from the Internship Director, the student Intern should do the following:

a. Send a cover letter and résumé indicating interest in a Communication related Internship to the desired organization (a copy of both should be sent to the Internship Director).

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b. Secure an interview with a representative of the organization and supply them with the necessary information and forms (Internship Supervisor Section of this Packet).c. Mutually agree with the organization on specific duties, expected learning experiences, hours, etc. (see attached forms)

3. Register for COM 398, 3 to 6 credits. Students may need an override for this, see me for this. You can register for an internship only during normal registration periods of time. The number of credits should be approved in advance by the Internship Director (see #5 below for more information on credits).

4. Fill out the necessary forms and make sure that your Internship Supervisor fills out their forms, before the start of the internship period. Remind them at this time of the dates of the mid-semester (2/20/18) and final performance appraisals (4/17/18).

5. Interns must work 50 hours per credit. Or at least 150 hours in a normal 15-week semester (10 hours per week) to earn three credits or work 300 hours in a 15-week semester (20 hours per week) to earn six credits. Students that begin an Internship without prior approval (and completion/return of the Internship forms) may not count hours worked toward the required hours as described above. Students are responsible for keeping a log of all hours worked and a record of what was learned each day (see forms).

6. Any questions or problems that need to be addressed before, during, or after the Internship should be directed to the Director of Internships. The best way to reach me is by e-mail at amcgill@umflint.edu

7. Upon nearing completion (last two or three weeks) of the Internship or end of the semester, the student is responsible for the following:

a. Remind the Internship Supervisor to send (by fax) the completed final performance appraisal and Internship Log (forms attached) to the Internship Director by 4/17/18.b. Submission of log/journals to the Internship Director (see attached instructions)c. Setting up a final Internship consultation with the Internship Director through Gale. d. Submitting a final paper in which the student describes their Internship experience and applies the appropriate coursework theories and concepts (see attached forms) by 4/17/18.

Grades for COM 398 are determined by the following factors:1. Evaluation of the student’s performance by the on-site Internship Supervisor (mid-term and final performance appraisals)2. Logs/journals and final paper.3. Meeting of all other requirements set forth for students in this document.

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Additional Departmental Policies:Students may not do an internship provided by a relative or in a company owned

by a parent or relative. An internship may be served only from the site of a licensed business operating from a building in an area zoned for business/commercial purposes. Students may do an internship in their place of present employment if they are transferred to another department that is separate from the department in which they are presently employed. The nature of the internship work/duties must be vastly different than the student’s current duties/responsibilities and it must represent a new learning experience.

Students may not interrupt an internship for a vacation or similar absence without permission of their Internship Supervisor. All internships must be completed within the calendar dates allocated to the learning period (semester) as published in the schedule of classes unless other prior arrangements are made with the Director of Internships. Students may not begin an internship before completing specified prerequisites, and securing approval from the Director of Internships. Given the paperwork and interviewing process required, internships need to be set up with an organization one or two weeks prior to the time in which the student desires to do the Internship.

[For legal information, consult the Fair Labor Standards Act]

Some Tips and Advice for Internship StudentsYour Résumé

Your résumé should be thought of as a communication document that is intended to represent you to a specific organization. Therefore, it is important that it contain appropriate information about your professional experience and educational background and your goals and interests that will demonstrate your potential as an intern to a specific organization. In the event that you need further assistance, please contact me. The résumé should be structured around headings to designate appropriate areas: educational background, professional experience, career objective, specific skills, course work relevant to career objective, activities and professional association memberships. Obviously, the degree to which you use these headings or others like them will vary according to your background. The information contained within each section of the résumé should be in reverse chronological order, with the most recent data at the beginning. The information should be conveyed in a concise and direct manner, giving the reader adequate but not superfluous information. The résumé should be physically well constructed so that it enhances the reader's ability to absorb the information and conveys a professional demeanor. There should be no errors and format should be consistent throughout.

Making Contact with an OrganizationAt some point in the internship application process, you may be expected to

participate in a formal interview with organizational representatives. This interview is extremely important because it allows both parties to evaluate potential, develop rapport, and clarify expectations. The following suggestions and recommended guidelines are designed to help you with the interview process:

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• Prepare for the interview as though you were applying for a permanent career-oriented job.

• Be sure to have your résumé in proper order and adapted to the organization in which you seek an internship.

• Conduct a self-analysis in preparation for the interview.

• Determine whether you need to bring samples of your work with you to the interview for perusal (i.e., writing samples, photographs, video/audio tapes, computer graphic/design work, etc.).

• Conduct a background study of the organization. Your ability to express familiarity with the organization can be beneficial to you.

• Dress for the interview in conservative clothing. First impressions are often lasting ones.

• Be sure to give yourself enough time so that you arrive a few minutes early and consider traffic and other factors such as getting lost or making a wrong turn.

Maximizing Your Internship ExperienceAn internship provides you with a unique opportunity to apply theories to reality,

to develop practical skills, and to make valuable professional contacts. Therefore, you should make every effort to maximize the experience. There are a number of ways to do this:

• You should ask many questions. Being inquisitive without being a pest will lead to greater breadth of information about organizational operations, some of which will be particular to the agency involved and some of which will apply to organizations of a similar nature. You should seek out the Vision, Mission, and Goals of your area and organization.

• You should be a self-starter and a self-motivator. By initiating projects, you will become more valuable to the organization and, in turn, create more knowledge. Of course, you need to gain the organization's approval before you start such projects.

• You should seek the opportunity to sit in on meetings. Observation of interactions will be invaluable in learning about organizational life and technical details. The organization, however, may limit this activity or not allow it because of policy, the nature of the meetings involved, or the wishes of conference participants.

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• You should move around the organization to observe the operations of various departments, if possible. Some internship assignments require the student to shift from office to office to complete various tasks. In any case, these observations allow you to see how interdependent parts of the organization work together.

• You should build respect among people in the organization for your willingness to work. This may cause people to seek you out for assignments, to depend on you for task completion, and to expose you to a greater variety of situations.

• You should be able to handle criticism constructively. An internship provides you the opportunity to make mistakes before entering full-time employment. Viewed productively, you will learn from it and change your attitudes and behaviors accordingly.

• You should recognize the value of experience and learn from others. An internship experience provides you the opportunity to be exposed to professionals in the field. Many insights can be gained from these people if you seek them out.

• It is my experience that those who perform in the top 10% of all interns are most likely to receive job offers.

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University of Michigan-Flint Communication Studies Internship Information Form[This page to be completed by Internship student]Student Name: __________________________________________ Date: __________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________Telephone (home): ____________________________ (work): _______________________________E-Mail Address: _____________________________________Class Standing (junior/senior): ________________________ Credit hours earned: _________Semester planned for Internship: ______________________Student I.D. #: _______________________________1. Describe your professional career goals.

2. Indicate below why you want an Internship. In what way(s) is the proposed Internship related to your professional career goals?

3. List below those skills/abilities that you seek to gain from the Internship experience. Be as specific and direct as possible.

4. Courses taken that are relevant to the proposed Internship (not restricted to Communications or Art):

Student overall G.P.A.: ________/4.0 scaleStudent G.P.A. in major: ________/4.0 scale

Sample Thank-You Letter (Intern students are required to send such a letter and include a copy of it with your internship paper at the end of the semester):

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Date: _______

John Smith, Internship SupervisorWXYZ-TV555 Lane Rd.Detroit, MI 48226

Dear Mr. Smith:While I am excited about graduation, I’m sad about leaving my internship at WXYZ-TV. I have enjoyed working with the staff and have learned so much about the challenges that face commercial television broadcasters. Training a new intern was a lot of work for you and I appreciate your time and patience in answering my questions and finding interesting tasks for me. Yesterday, I bought two of the books you suggested and will continue the learning process on my own.

Enclosed, please find a copy of my updated résumé, which includes my internship experience at WXYZ-TV. Any suggestions you might have about my résumé or people in the field I could contact about full-time employment would be welcome.Thank you again for helping to make my internship a rewarding experience.

Sincerely,

Ima X. InternEnclosure

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INTERNSHIP LOG (HOURS)

[Student Copy for your records, remind your Internship Supervisor to sign and fax their copy of this form by 4/17/18. You should also keep a journal of what you do each day.]

Student Name ___________________________________

Title ______________________________

On-Site Internship Supervisor __________________________________

Company __________________________

Week # Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Total  From To From To From To From To From To From To From To  

1                              2                              3                              4                              5                              6                              7                              8                              9                              

10                              11                              12                              13                              14                              15                              

Extra                              

Grand Total of Hours: ______

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Winter 2018 SemesterEnd of semester notes for all COM interns,

As you near the end of the semester I want to remind you of the internship paper which will be due on 4/17/18. Your paper should review your internship experience and what you have learned.  Your internship paper is a major factor in determining your grade so it warrants careful attention. The other factors of your grade are the midterm and final performance appraisals (filled out and faxed in by your supervisor), your journal, and your thank-you letter. Papers should follow APA or MLA style guidelines and not exceed 10 (ten) typed, double-spaced pages (not including the journal and letter).

The papers should begin with a bit of background on how you acquired theinternship and what you expected to learn from it. I would like to know where your internship position fit into the organizational chart, and to the best of your knowledge, how it contributed to the organization's vision, mission and goals. Other introductory information should cover the type of company, the industry or market, and your supervisor's name and title. The body of your paper should include a description of what you learned and how it was (or might be) applied, your journals should help you with the details. Be sure to link your learning experiences to relevant Communication Theory if possible. Your conclusion should link this experience to your larger personal, educational, and professional goals. I may need to you if I request to please call Gale in the COM office(810-766-6679) and set up an appointment. Please also remember to fill out the teaching evaluation at the end of this packet and drop it off with your paper.

Each student will also write a formal thank-you letter to your supervisorand include a copy of it and your daily log/journal with the paper when you submitit.

If you have any questions please email me at amcgill@umflint.edu

Dr Tony McGillInternship Director, COM

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INTERNSHIP SUPERVISOR SECTION

This section is for the Internship Supervisor and contains the guidelines for the organization. There are four important forms at the end of this section that you will need to fill out and fax to us at various points in the internship process. The first form is a basic information sheet that needs to be filled out prior to the beginning of internship. The second form is the mid-semester performance appraisal which is due on 2/20/18. The third form is the final performance appraisal and it is due on 4/17/18. You will also need to sign and fax a copy of the Weekly Internship Work Schedule/Hours, the fourth form, on this date. We have tried to keep the paperwork to a minimum, however if you ever have questions or concerns about the internship process please call 810-766-6679 or email me at amcgill@umflint.edu

Departmental Policies:Internships may not be provided by a relative or in a company owned by a parent

or relative. An internship may be served only from the site of a licensed business operating from a building in an area zoned for business/commercial purposes. Employees who are current COM students may do an internship in their place of present employment if they are transferred to another department that is separate from the department in which they are presently employed or it is largely a new learning experience. The nature of the internship work/duties must be different than the employee’s current duties/responsibilities.

Interns should not interrupt an internship for a vacation or similar absence without permission of their Internship Supervisor. All internships must be completed within the calendar dates allocated to the learning period (semester) as published in the schedule of classes unless other prior arrangements are made with the Director of Internships. Students may not begin an internship before completing specified prerequisites, and securing approval from the Director of Internships. Given the paperwork and interviewing process required, internships need to be set up with an organization one or two weeks prior to the point in which the student desires to do the Internship.

[For legal information, see the Fair Labor Standards Act and/or consult your Human Resource personnel]

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University of Michigan-Flint Internship Supervisor - Basic Information Form[This page to be completed by on-site Internship Supervisor]

Name of Student: ___________________________________________Semester of Internship: ______________________________________Student Internship Title: ______________________________________Company/Organization: _______________________________________Address of Company/Organization: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________Name of On-Site Internship Supervisor: __________________________________________Title of On-Site Internship Supervisor: _____________________________________________Telephone & E-Mail of On-Site Internship Supervisor: ________________________________________________________________________[Please print E-mail address neatly]

Student Intern Job Description:

Responsibilities of the Organization to the Student Intern:

By signing below, the Internship student and organization agree to abide by all policies set forth in the COM 398 Internship Guidelines.Signature of Internship Supervisor: _______________________________________ Date: ________________________Signature of Internship Student: _________________________________________

Date: ________________________Please return this completed one - page Form to the Internship Director before the student starts the Internship. Thank you!

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The University of Michigan-Flint Student's Name: ___________________COM Internship Program Supervisor Signature: _______________ Dr Anthony D McGill, Internship Director Organization: ____________________

Mid-term Performance Appraisal Winter 2018

Thank you for your help in preparing our students to meet the needs of their future employers. As an Intern Supervisor your input is a key factor in our ability to produce world-class employees. This mid-term evaluation allows us an opportunity to identify areas of praise and concern so that our interns continuously improve over the course of their internships.

Please rate this intern based upon your experience with other interns or entry-level employees (the "standard"). The information you provide is confidential, but areas of concern will be discussed generally with the student.

Assessment RubricRating: Criteria5: Outstanding, performance exceeds standard to an exceptional degree4: Above Standard, performance exceeds basic standard3: Standard, performance meets standard2: Below Standard, performance falls below basic standard1: Unacceptable, performance is below an acceptable standard NA: No basis for appraisal

Areas of AppraisalBasic Competencies_____ Level of Motivation and Enthusiasm_____ Ability to function individually_____ Ability to function interpersonally (one on one)_____ Ability to function in groups or teams_____ Demonstrates personal and professional ethics

Duties and Responsibilities_____ Seeks out the mission, goals, and objectives of their department_____ Listens to, and follows instruction _____ Solicits and adapts to constructive feedback_____ Demonstrates punctuality and dependability_____ Quality and quantity of workComments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Please return this form via fax (by 2/20/18) to 810-766-6834, Attn: Internship Director

The University of Michigan-Flint Student's Name: ___________________COM Internship Program Supervisor Signature: _______________ Dr Anthony D McGill, Internship Director Organization: ____________________

Final Performance Appraisal Winter 2018

Thank you again for your help in preparing our students to meet the needs of their future employers. As an Intern Supervisor your input is a key factor in our ability to produce world-class employees. This final evaluation allows us an opportunity to identify areas of praise and concern so that our interns continuously improve over the course of their educations.

Please rate this intern based upon your experience with other interns or entry-level employees (the "standard"). The information you provide is confidential, but areas of concern will be discussed generally with the student.

Assessment RubricRating: Criteria5: Outstanding, performance exceeds standard to an exceptional degree4: Above Standard, performance exceeds basic standard3: Standard, performance meets standard2: Below Standard, performance falls below basic standard1: Unacceptable, performance is below an acceptable standard NA: No basis for appraisal

Areas of AppraisalBasic Competencies_____ Level of motivation and enthusiasm_____ Ability to function individually_____ Ability to function interpersonally (one on one)_____ Ability to function in groups or teams_____ Demonstrates personal and professional ethics

Duties and Responsibilities_____ Seeks out the mission, goals, and objectives of their department_____ Listens to, and follows instruction _____ Solicits and adapts to constructive feedback_____ Demonstrates punctuality and dependability_____ Quality and quantity of workComments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Please return this form via fax (by 4/17/18) to 810-766-6834, Attn: Internship Director

INTERNSHIP LOG (HOURS)

[Internship Supervisor Copy, Please Fax this finished form to the Internship Director with the Intern’s Final Performance Appraisal by 4/17/18] (810-766-6834)

Student Name ___________________________________

Title ______________________________

On-Site Internship Supervisor __________________________________

Company __________________________

Week # Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Total  From To From To From To From To From To From To From To  

1                              2                              3                              4                              5                              6                              7                              8                              9                              

10                              11                              12                              13                              14                              15                              

Extra                              

Grand Total of Hours: _______

Signature of on-site Internship supervisor: Date:(or Civic Engagement supervisor)

_________________________________ _____________________

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FOR STUDENTSCOM 398 and COM 392 Evaluation FormIntern or Civic Engagement students please answer the following questions:Internship or C.E, Supervisor ____________________

Which experience did you have (check one).COM 398 ____COM 392 ____How many Credits?How many hours did you actually do?

1. How did you learn about your internship or coop?

2. Where did you do your internship or coop?

On a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) …

3. How would you evaluate your internship as a learning experience?

4. How would you evaluate your internship supervisor (the person on your internship that supervised you)?

5. How would you evaluate your internship director (the person that administered your internships)?

6. Any additional comments you would like to make about your internship or coop (you may use the back if needed)?

*Please fill out and return this page to your Internship Director when you have finished your Internship*

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